The fatal shooting of Australian Justine Damond by a US police officer simply should not have happened, the officer's police chief says.
In her first public statement since Ms Damond was shot dead by an officer responding to her 911 call, Minneapolis police chief Janee Harteau vowed to seek justice for the 40-year-old and her family.
"Justine didn't have to do die ... this should not have happened," she told reporters on Thursday, local time.
"On our squad cars you will find the words 'to protect with courage, and serve with compassion'. This did not happen."
File image of Justine Damond (AAP) Source: AAP
She said she spoke to Ms Damond's grief-stricken fiance on Thursday morning.
"I told him I was sorry for his loss and that this did not have to happen. And again, Justine did not have to die."
She promised to do all she could to make sure Ms Damond's family got the answers they are so desperately seeking.
"I'll do everything in my power to make sure due process is followed and justice is served."
The police chief said the officer who shot Ms Damond should have had his body camera activated, and the police department is working on ways to ensure cameras are on when they should be.
"These were the actions and judgement of one individual," she said.
Officer Mohamed Noor hasn't provided his explanation for what happened on Saturday when he fired a shot from the passenger seat of his squad car, past his partner in the driver's seat and killed Ms Damond, who was standing outside the vehicle in her pyjamas.
She'd ventured into an alley behind her home after calling 911 to report a suspected sexual assault.
